


Cura te ipsum

by chonaku



Series: Cura te ipsum [1]
Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, DCU (Comics), Justice League - All Media Types, Martian Manhunter - Fandom
Genre: Canon Divergence, Character Development, F/M, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, I use BTAS!Mr Freeze, Pre-Friendship, Pre-Reboot, Victor is a grumpy bear, but the canon of the comics, poor J'onn, redemption arc
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-29
Updated: 2015-04-29
Packaged: 2018-03-26 08:35:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3844255
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chonaku/pseuds/chonaku
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“I will let you alone only if you give me an answer.” </p>
<p>“About being your partner, detective?” He put the last word with a bitter and ironical tone. “Would you really want a partner like me?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cura te ipsum

“Why would you want to help me?” asked Victor with a suspicious voice. He did not know the alien. They had never met before and during his short work time with Luthor, Victor learned more about the Kryptonian, not the Martian, thank to the man’s obsession about his nemesis. The Martian remained silent and as cold as he was. Victor frowned and his headache made him suffer more. It seemed like a thousand bees in his mind and he was tired. However, it was impossible to show his weakness to one of Batman’s friend, especially since they were in his cell.

His visitor did not seem bothered by the cold atmosphere in the cell; Victor was angry simply by his presence. He did not like intruders, neither visit on his cell, especially from a telepathic alien. 

“I have nothing to give you. And neither want to get along with one of Batman’s friends. So, what’s even the point to talk with me?” he insisted, his livid face as neutral as usual.  
“He takes care of your child.”

The voice was soft, but the words hit him hard. Victor did not really trust Batman for always permitting visits or no talking about his crimes to Koonak. The criminal missed his son, he missed his smile and his voice, and he missed to hug him and to ruffle his hair, to read stories for him. He missed everything about him, even if he was in the same city, now. The mention of Koonak made him grave and his voice became harsh and cold.

“Yes, and so what? Would you bring him back to me?”  
“No, I wouldn't.” said Martian Manhunter. “Your child is at the safest place he could be for him and so you are.”  
“No. He is not and neither am I.” Victor said. “He is with the most paranoid and competent vigilant I know. Nevertheless, the man is also able to turn children into soldiers and to let them die on the battlefield. In addition, I am at the worst asylum ever, still asking why nobody could be sane enough and pragmatic enough to close it and to build another one. I do not mention every sociopath here, especially the Clown. Therefore, I do not mention how easily it would be to kill me during a riot by cutting the air conditioning. Do you want to make another statement equally intelligent, Martian Manhunter? Do you prefer I praise Batman and his infanticide tendency? ”

“You are unfair. Batman lost a Robin only because of the Joker’s cunning nature. It was not his fault and neither was the death of the other. In addition, it is paradoxical to blame Batman for putting these children in danger when you probably pointed a gun on them.”

Suddenly, Victor remembered the Robin he almost killed many years ago, when Nora died. He remembered his rage and his sadness, the anger that consumed him. He remembered yelling like an animal, at the world, at the fate, at the void she had leaved behind her  
He remembered the boy and how he tried to jump. He remembered how he put the trigger of his gun. Then how he was unable to stop before the child froze and how Batman yelled.   
He did not remember if he really wanted to kill someone this day, especially a child. 

 

“Continue and you will make me angry, Martian.” He said with a neutral voice, the frozen child in his mind. He had saved Koonak few months after this event, a tiny and weak orphan, almost drowned, almost dead. He took care of him because he was lost and alone. Then, Koonak brought colours and joy in his life for the first time since Nora was ill.   
Victor had lost him.   
“Again. Why do you care about me?” he said with a metallic voice. “Or maybe, you care about my child?” he said aloud. It would be more logic.

“I care about both of you.” The Martian simply said. “I was a father once, like Batman. Maybe it is a pointless reason to help for you, but for me, it's a valuable one.”   
“I don’t want your pity. I do not want your friendship, your compassion, your sympathy. I want nothing from Batman and you.”   
“So, what do you want?” asked this time Martian Manhunter, always with this strange soft voice.  
Victor was reluctant to reply this question, but since the Martian could use his telepathy, it would be useless to remain silent. 

“I want my wife and my child to be safe and sound, happy and alive. Eventually, I want a life outside of this cage, a life with them. If you are unable to give me that, you can go away.” He abruptly finished. 

Martian Manhunter frowned, then, he replied:”I can’t give you exactly what you want, but I can give you some opportunities.”   
At this moment, Victor remained silent, so the alien explained: “I said Batman had your child. The day you will quit Arkham, your child will go with you. So, what do you want to give to him? Where will you go? 

“That is nothing of your business.”

“That’s true. However, I want to ask you some questions, so you can think about it. What was your plan about your son before taking him at Gotham?” 

“I suppose that if I don’t talk, you will read my mind. Or do you already read it?” 

“I have any interest to do it.” 

Victor frowned, aware about the veracity of the affirmation. 

Finally, he whispered: “I wanted to send Koonak in a boarding school in Sweden, in two or three years, so he could have a normal life.”

“And what about to have a normal life without lies and without separation? ”

“It’s ridiculous and impossible.” He toned coldly. “I am Victor Fries; I can’t have a normal life.”  
“You can build one. I can help you to do it.” Then, the alien turned into a normal human being. “I propose you to associate with me. In this identity, I am John Jones, a private detective, but I can make another identity in order to justify our partnership. I can’t give you a perfect life, but I can help you to find a way to build a solid and a safe normal life where you could raise your child in peace.” 

Victor smirked.   
“You always lie to the human beings, Martian, it’s ironic for someone who talked about a live without lies.”  
The Martian as human frowned.   
“At least, you will stop lying at your child. I think that this is more important than fooling or not strangers. You could give him a life where he could see you every day, where he will not worry about you and you will least worry about him. You could be together as long as it is possible for you.” 

“Again. Why would you want to give me this life?” 

“Why do you think I want something in exchange, Victor Fries?” 

“Everyone in my life wanted to.” He said without thinking. “Nora and Koonak are the only exception. Even Batman wants to help me by taking care of my child, in exchange of my promise to be quiet and to not hurt anybody.” 

“Without Batman, would you want, anyways?” asked solemnly the Human-Martian... Martian Human, he did not know. 

“I would hurt back every person who hurts or threatens my child and my wife. Batman will never change that. Otherwise, I do not care about other people. The least I interact with them, the better I feel.” He growled.

“You wish a very lonely life, Victor Fries.” The man pointed out. Victor nodded. 

“I learned that in this world, to be alone is the better way to never be hurt.” 

“It is also the better way to never heal." The Martian Manhunter stated with seriousness on his face. “Believe me.” He looked almost melancholic and Victor avoided his reddish brown eyes.   
“Maybe. Nevertheless, it allows me to survive throughout these years, it allows me to be stronger than I once was as human; it allows to never being a tool or a slave again. Nobody can fool me now.” He declared, looking at his visitor with a cold anger or a strong determination, even for him, it was impossible to know. 

“You look rather like a broken soul.” The Martian remarked and once again, Victor growled: “I don’t want your pity. Let me alone.” 

“I will let you alone only if you give me an answer.” 

“About being your partner, detective?” He put the last word with a bitter and ironical tone. 

“Would you really want a partner like me?” he smirked. “Or would you want to save me instead, when Batman was unable to?” 

“I cannot save those who are not willing to be saved. If you want to, I will help, but if you prefer to let you rot, it is your choice, not mine. Only think of your child and what sort of life you can offer him now.”

“Martian.” He stopped him. “You said you had a daughter, do you think of her every day of your life?”   
“... Yes, I actually do think about her every day of my life.” He whispered.   
“So, never imply I don’t do myself.”

Moreover, you didn’t lost her like I lost my child, he thought and the Martian’s voice answered in his mind: “I am sorry to say you are wrong.” 

“What are you going?” he said, his voice filled with anger and rage. “Get out of my mind. Go away, go away!” he finally yelled. “You talk about honesty, about being a partner and you dare to read my mind without my consent? How could I trust you?”   
Victor wanted to hit him, even if it would be useless. A better plan would be to put him on fire, but Batman would not approve and he did not want to lose Koonak for an alien. 

“... You are right; it was a bad gesture towards you. However, Batman warned me about you and so; I wanted to know exactly who I would have as a future partner.” 

“You read my... since the beginning... ” Victor whispered, mortified. 

“No. Believe me.” 

“You make it hard.” 

“I have my reasons.”

“Of course you have.” He said with a sarcastic tone: “You read my mind. I want information about you, now.” 

\-- Talk me of your daughter, he thought as strong as he could. 

“... She died a long time ago.” The Martian barely articulated. “By human standards, she was six years old. She loved to tell me her secrets and I dream every day to see her again, to hug her, to tell her stories, I miss everything about her... is it enough for you?” 

Victor missed Koonak’s smile and his voice; he missed hugging him and ruffling his hair, to read him stories. He missed everything about him... 

\-- Yes. Victor said, but he was not satisfied. 

He felt empty.   
He remembered how Batman was during their first meeting, their first fight.   
(I am sorry for your wife.)   
Victor remained silent.

\-- Your wife ? 

“That’s nothing of your business, Victor Fries.” Martian Manhunter said coldly. “I will let you think of our discussion alone, as you wish and then, I will return.”   
Then, he turned invisible in front of him and Victor remained silent, unable to let his trouble go away.


End file.
